Chesapeake Churches Prioritize Prayer, Evangelism

In anticipation of the Reach Chesapeake evangelism initiative that begins in April, pastors and conference leaders began the year with a concerted focus on prayer. Recognizing the need to invite the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of people, many area churches participated in the world church’s Ten Days of Prayer program in January, and several embarked on the North American Division’s 40 Days of Prayer.

Participants in the Ten Days of Prayer program at the Williamsport (Md.) church, on the opening night, prayed by name for every person on the church membership list, says Franke Zollman, senior pastor. Subsequent meetings had themes, such as praying for the United States and its leaders, praying for the worldwide church and its leadership, and praying for missing members.

Josh Voigt, pastor in the Catoctin View/Middletown Valley district in western Maryland, says his congregations used Dennis Smith’s 40 Days of Prayer book to focus on revival and reformation in the local church. He says that participation has led to an increase in church attendance and requests for Bible studies and baptism.

Pastors and lay evangelists took preparation a step further by attending an evangelism workshop conducted by veteran evangelist Mark Finley, held at the Atholton church in Columbia, Md. The training, coordinated by the Columbia Union Conference, helped to prepare Allegheny East, Chesapeake and Potomac conference pastors to flood the Baltimore/Washington metro area with evangelistic and outreach activities.

Is your church hosting a Prophecies of Hope event next month?  Tweet about it using #PropheciesofHope!